The original HE1000 came out in 2015 but was soon replaced by the almost identical sounding HE1000v2 in 2016. The HE1000 series headphones were designed with an asymmetrical magnet structure with smaller magnets on the inside. The latest version of the HE1000v2 has got revised with “stealth” magnets, which is a fancy word for more aerodynamically shaped magnets. Both have nanometer thickness diaphragms. The Stealth version has a bit different specs, 32 Ohms / 93 dB vs the v2’s 35 ohms / 90 dB. I have written a separate HE1000v2 review here.
Focal launched the Utopia in 2016, its first high end headphone. It boasts a pure Beryllium driver, technology inspired by Focal’s Beryllium speaker tweeters. The Utopia was a huge success and soon gained the reputation of being one of the world’s finest headphones. They released a slightly revised version in 2022 which has the exact same specifications.
SPECIFICATIONS HE1000v2
- Type: Open-Back
- Driver type: Planar magnetic
- Fit: Over-Ear
- Cable connector on headphones: 3.5 mm new version, 2.5 mm older version
- Cables: 3m/4-pin XLR; 3m/6.5mm TRS; 1.5m/3.5mm TRS right-angle
- Weight: 420g
- Impedance: 35 ohm
- Efficiency: 90 dB/mW
SPECIFICATIONS FOCAL UTOPIA
- Circum-aural open headphones
- Driver Type: Dynamic
- 40mm pure Beryllium ‘M’ shape dome
- Impedance 80 Ohms
- Sensitivity: 104dB SPL / 1mW @ 1kHz
- THD: <0,2% @ 1kHz / 100dB SPL
- Frequency response: 5Hz – 50kHz
- Weight: 490g
- Cable connection to headphones: 2-pin LEMO
- Cables: 1 x 4ft OFC 24 AWG cable with 1/8″ (3.5mm) TRS Jack connector, 1 x 10ft OFC 24 AWG cable with 4-pin XLR connector, 1 x Jack adapter, 1/8″ (3.5mm) female – 1/4″ (6.35mm) male
- Carrying case 250x240x120mm
COMPARISONS
Terminal 7 by Tomasz Stanko Quintet
The Utopia is very snappy and crisp. The imaging is superb, the drums hit hard at low volumes. It’s very dynamic sounding. You can hear all the tiny details in the percussion, it’s quite fabulous. The trumpet has lots of texture but isn’t as warm sounding as I am used to.
The HE1000v2 is very spacious and open-sounding. The percussion is snappy and tactile. The trumpet is textured and beautifully soft.
Comparing the two, they’re not too far apart in tonality. The Utopia is more dynamic, the percussion is snappier, more articulated and the imaging is more holographic but the soundstage is not as wide.
Amsterdam Venue by Tomasz Stanko Quintet
The Utopia render the opening trumpet as full-bodied with lots of texture. You can hear the air vibrating in the instrument. It gets some help from the bass and piano and it’s a joy to be able to easily separate the three instruments even though they play the same notes. This track is simply stunning with the Utopia.
The HE1000v2 sounds very good, as with the previous track it is very detailed and spacious. The trumpet is rendered especially well.
Comparing the two, they share much of the same sound signature but the Utopia is sharper and crisper. It is more dynamic with more dynamic contrast even at the same listening volume level.
Fading Sorrow by Marcin Wasilewski Trio
Wonderful presentation from the Utopia. The piano is so playfully rendered, the tones are floating in space, no micro detail is lost.
The HE1000v2 is incredibly spacious and enveloping. The timbre is very good, the piano, the standing bass, the saxophone, the percussion: All very natural and effortlesly presented.
Comparing them, the Utopia has a blacker background and better instrument separation, better macrodynamics and microdynamics, the HE1000v2 is more liquid and ethereal.
Limit to Your Love by James Blake
The demanding bass is textured and nicely rendered with the Utopia. The percussion that sets in after a little while is as snappy as can be. The vocals are very clear and crisp, maybe a bit too energetic.
The HE1000v2 is very open-sounding, it handles the bass very well and the vocals have a very nice timbre.
Comparing them, the HE1000v2 has better and stronger bass, the vocals are smoother. The percussion isn’t as snappy. The soundstage is wider but not as precise.
Fly Forward Higdon / Hahn
The Utopia is generally great with strings and orchestral music and this is no exception. The violin has body, attack, texture and bite. The brass is crisp but not harsh. Separation and layering are top-notch.
The HE1000V2 sounds very open, the lead violin has lots of texture, and the timbre is very nice.
Comparing the two, they both sound great. The HE1000V2 has superb timbre and a wide soundstage, but lacks the hyper-precise imaging of the Utopia. The tonality is rather similar. The Utopia sounds a bit sharper, but not in a bad way.
Present Tense by Radiohead
Great dynamic rendering of drums in the intro by the Utopia. Nicely balanced, not overwhelming, just right. Percussion is snappy as always. When the track gets more complex and there are more layers the utopia handles it with ease. The vocals are beautiful.
The HE1000v2 has great bass and a very coherent and well-balanced presentation. The treble is crisp but not too bright, Thom Yorke’s vocals are smooth, warm and natural sounding.
Comparing the two, the Utopia has a sharper tone to the vocals. It’s also more dynamic sounding and as usual more pinpointed.
Hellhound On My Trail by Cassandra Wilson
The steel guitar is very crisp and clear. Wilson’s vocals are full of nuance and texture. I find the presentation a bit bright-leaning, though. There’s an immense sense of space, especially depth. There’s very much space between the instruments. However the stage isn’t very wide, all the instruments sound like they’re coming from a narrow place in space.
The HE1000v2 has very pleasant, lush vocals. The guitar is crisp, there’s gobs of detail. The sound is very open.
Comparing the two, the Utopia most notably has sharper vocals, I prefer the HE1000v2 vocals presentation. The Utopia is so crisp, clear and dynamic it almost gets too much. It’s more intense sounding.
Black Crow by Cassandra Wilson
This is a fabulous track with lots of ambient sounds that make me feel the urge to twist my head – the Utopia is so lifelike in its presentation. The bass drums are warm and full-bodied yet detailed and layered. The vocals shine and are inviting and velvety. The flute in the background sounds absolutely fantastic.
The HE1000v2 also sounds great with lush, delicious vocals, full-bodied bass drums and a very wide soundstage.
Comparing the two, it is much like the previous Cassandra Wilson track. The Utopia is more intense and hyper-dynamic. With this track, it’s really great.
Escape Route by Boris Blank
The Utopia shows off its great spatial qualities. It’s extremely holographic. The bass is tight, everything is snappy. The presentation is warm and enveloping.
The HE1000v2 is not as pinpointed with regards to the imaging but it’s not far behind. All the detail is there and the sound is very well balanced.
Comparing the two, I find the HE1000V2 has better bass, the imaging is relatively similar. The Utopia lacks a bit of warmth and body. I prefer the fuller-sounding HE1000v2.
The Fall by Ministry
Great track, the Utopia shows off the immense detail level, layering and imaging. It’s snappy and crisp, but quite bright sounding.
The HE1000v2 is also quite bright, but it is more forgiving. There’s great layering and lots of detail. The soundstage is wide but imaging is not extremely precise.
Comparing the two, the HE1000V2 has more flesh and body, the bass is more present, the mid-range is less intense. The Utopia sounds a bit bright and thin, which often can happen with this track on neutral and revealing headphones.
Metamorphoses Nocturnes by Belcau Quartet
Modern classical, an interesting piece – it is mostly very quiet and tender. The superb detail retrieval and imaging of the Utopia makes this an especially fascinating listen. The strings have body and attack.
The HE1000v2 is very open and wide sounding. It also sounds fantastic. The strings have lots of texture and a nice warmth.
Comparing the two, both are great with the strings. The Utopia sounds a bit more precise, but also narrower. The HE1000v2 is more spacious. With Utopia, there’s more space between instruments and everything is a bit sharper cut.
Mahler Symphony No.2 III by Paavo Järvi
The Utopia renders the kettle drums in the intro in an extremely dynamical and punchy manner. The strings are, as always, rendered fabulously with the Utopia. The separation and layering makes it a true joy to listen to.
The HE1000v2 can also surely play the kettledrums. The bass is deep and textured. The strings are sweet and nuanced. The soundstage is wide and tall, there’s no problem separating instruments.
Comparing the two, the HE1000v2 sounds sweeter, the Utopia a bit more sharp. They both have a great amount of detail and subtle nuances. The Utopia is more intense, with a bit stronger spotlight on the musicians.
Don’t Panic by Coldplay
The bass on the Utopia is very present and makes for a warmish low-end sound. The vocals, however, are a bit bright and dry-sounding.
The HE1000v2 has a fabulous bass presentation, and Chris Martin’s vocals are sweet and lush.
Comparing the two, the Utopia’s strength again also is its weakness: It sounds quite intense. It is not a night and day difference. The Utopia is a very enjoyable headphone, also here. The HE1000v2 is, however, a bit softer and lusher, and I find the vocals to sound more true to life.
UTOPIA & PADS
For the comparison with the HE1000v2 I used the stock pads on the Utopia. I did however experiment with swapping pads to the Dekoni fenestrated sheepskin pads, and I would like to comment on that because it changed the sound of the Utopia significantly.
According to Dekoni’s own measurements, the pads bring out a bit more bass and take the treble slightly down. This corresponds with what I hear when I listen to the Utopia with these pads. It is no small change.
The bass is much stronger and the upper mids and treble are toned down. The Utopia sounds quite a bit warmer and lusher with these headphone pads. Listening to Coldplay’s Don’t Panic, the bass is much stronger, the upper mids and treble are toned down.
With Ministry’s The Fall, the bass is much more pronounced. This track is quite bright and thin with the stock pads, but quite listenable with the Dekoni Fenestrated Sheepskin pads. The bass and piano with Todd Sickafoose’s Flush have more body, and the trumpet and clarinet have a softer, less crisp tone. The track Bent into Shape, reveals the same.
On the flip side, the soundstage is slightly narrower and more intimate with the Dekoni Fenestrated Sheepskin pads. So there’s a trade-off. With Jennifer Higdon’s Fly Forward by Hilary Hahn, there is a more airy soundstage with the stock pads. The excellent pinpoint imaging and separation are still intact with the Fenestrated Sheepskin pads though, and personally I do not find the slightly narrower soundstage to be an issue, the difference is really small in absolute terms.
My personal preference always tends to go towards a warmer sound and I definitely prefer the Utopia with the Dekoni Fenestrated Sheepskin pads. However, it is a matter of preference.
Interestingly, the Dekoni fenestrated sheepskin pads take the Utopia in the same direction as the tuning of the new version, “Utopia 2022”.
The Dekoni fenestrated sheepskin pads make the Utopia different enough to categorize them as different headphones. It is still a Utopia, as far as I am concerned all the strengths are intact. Even though I have not spent much time with the new Utopia I cannot imagine that the difference between the new and the old in terms of tuning is more significant than this pad swap.
AMPLIFIERS
Both these headphones need a proper amplifier to really shine. The HE1000v2 demands quite a lot of power to come to life; a powerful high-quality amplifier will especially bring more control to the treble region. However it’s not all about power. To bring out the best, they both need a good match.
The HE1000v2 shines with e.g. the Mytek Liberty THX AAA Amp, the Bryston BHA-1, the Woo WA22 and the Sparkos Labs Gemini.
The same amplifiers work well with the Utopia too, but if you are curious about my thoughts on what amplifier to choose for the Focal Utopia I have written a separate article here.
WRAPPING IT UP
Sound signature
They are not very differently tuned, but the HE1000v2 has a more prominent bass and lower mids. Both are rather neutral, and neither has an elevated bass.
Soundstage and imaging
The HE1000v2 has a huge soundstage, wide and tall and decently deep. The Utopia is narrower but deeper. There is more space between the Instruments with the Utopia. There’s more blackness and better pinpoint imaging. With the Dekoni fenestrated sheepskin pads, the soundstage of the Utopia becomes a tad smaller, but the imaging is just as good.
Treble
The Utopia’s treble is extremely clean and dynamic. It’s almost supernatural. The treble is very energetic without becoming harsh, although I occasionally can find it a bit bright. The HE1000v2 is, if it’s got a good amplifier, also very good. It’s highly resolved, but not just as hyper-resolved as the Utopia. The HE1000v2 can occasionally sound a bit splashy. They have roughly an equal amount of treble energy in total, but they have different frequency responses so which is the brightest vary from track to track. With the Dekoni fenestrated sheepskin pads, the treble of the Utopia gets a bit more focused, less airy and slightly more laid back. I can easily see that the airy treble with the original pads will be preferred by some, but I like the Dekoni-Utopia
Midrange
They both have a very good midrange with lots of detail and texture. Both have good timbre, but I generally find the HE1000v2 to sound more natural. It tends to be a bit more mellow and lush, but they’re not very different. It depends a bit on the track. With the Dekoni fenestrated sheepskin pads, the Utopia sounds slightly warmer, though – making the difference smaller between the two headphones.
Bass
Even though the Utopia has a stellar bass performance, it cannot beat the HE1000v2. It’s got a bit more quantity and a flatter response and even better definition. It’s a top-tier planar magnetic headphone after all. With the Dekoni fenestrated sheepskin pads, the Utopia’s bass levels are brought up to the same as the HE1000v2.
Dynamics and Detail
I have touched upon above, but I find both to be very good at macrodynamics, microdynamics and detail-retrieval, but the Utopia tends to impress me the most except for the lowest regions where it gradually rolls off a bit.
CONCLUSION
These are indeed two great headphones. First of all, they are not extremely different. They both have great dynamics and micro details. The HE1000v2 has a more open soundstage, the Utopia has more precise imaging.
Generally, the HE1000v2 is slightly more relaxed sounding and a bit more mellow, the Utopia is a bit more intense. The Utopia has better treble detail, the HE1000v2 has better bass quality. The midrange is very good on both, albeit with slightly different tonality.
With stock pads on the Utopia, the HE1000v2 has more bass presence, but with the Dekoni Fenestrated Sheepskin pads, the Utopia gets roughly an equal amount of bass. However, it still rolls off slightly in the lowest octaves and the HE1000v2 still has better bass quality.
With the stock pads on the Utopia, the HE1000v2 is warmer sounding. With the Dekoni pads mounted, the Utopia sounds the warmest. Personally, I prefer the Utopia with the sheepskin pads over the HE1000v2. With the stock pads, my preference is more inconsistent and it will depend on how well the electronics match up.
That being said, there is no doubt that these are two fabulous headphones and both are definitely among my favorites.
Buy on Amazon: Focal Utopia
Buy on Amazon: Hifiman HE1000
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